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WHAT DOES A WEDDING PLANNER ACTUALLY DO?

Writer's picture: Megan MahoneyMegan Mahoney

AND HOW CAN A PLANNER OR COORDINATOR HELP YOU PLAN YOUR DREAM SUN VALLEY WEDDING?


Planning a wedding can be an exciting journey, but as you start thinking about all the details, decisions, and research involved, it can quickly become overwhelming. With a full-time job or other commitments, finding time and energy to plan can be challenging, even with a helpful family member.  But what happens when a family member’s opinions become too much or the wedding weekend arrives and they want to enjoy the fun? This is where a wedding planner can step in and alleviate the stress, guide you through the decision-making process, and ensure that you and your loved ones can fully enjoy the day. 


Wedding planners are industry experts who can offer invaluable resources to create a personalized, beautiful, and seamless event while respecting your budget. A planner allows you, and anyone else involved in the planning process, the chance to focus on the overall details and what most consider the “fun” parts of the planning process (menu tasting, design, etc.) while they handle the logistics and back and forth details with the vendors involved. 


Many planning companies, like Megan Mahoney Creative, located in beautiful Sun Valley, Idaho, offer a variety of packages ranging from Event Coordination to Full Service Planning. These packages may vary between planning companies, however, at the core of what all these packages include is ensuring the wedding day runs smoothly. Sounds simple, right? The reality is your planner will spend anywhere from 30-40 hours on an event management package and 150+ hours for a full-service package -and around an average of 12 hours straight on your wedding day alone! Let’s briefly break down the high-level difference between an event management package and a full-service package, and what a planner might be responsible for in each of these offerings:


Event Management:

The Event Coordination Package will handle all of the logistical details of your event, including:

  • Three one hour meetings, focused around logistical details

  • Unlimited email correspondence within 6 months of the wedding

  • Unlimited phone correspondence within 3 months of the wedding

  • Development of weekend itinerary and timeline and communicate / confirm vendor logistics.

  • Receive personal items and handle placement at wedding

  • Wedding day coordination, management, and execution of timeline

  • Rehearsal management

  • Oversee set up / tear down

  • Planning Resources and ideas


Full-Service:

Our Full Service Planning package offers a comprehensive approach to making your wedding weekend perfect. Full service also includes all other bullet points from smaller packages. 
  • Is with you from the beginning, sometimes even before you have selected a date and location

  • Assists in establishing a vision and realistic budget 

  • Connects you with professional vendors to bring your vision to life and will review all contracts

  • Communicates all details and logistics with vendors throughout the entire planning process

  • Helps create a cohesive design based on your vision and budget

  • Is there to guide you during the planning, providing etiquette guidance on aspects such as invitations, family situations, and wedding day flow

  • Creates a comprehensive wedding weekend timeline to share with vendors as well as you and your wedding party

  • Is onsite on the wedding day directing vendors and ensuring the timeline is being followed and the day runs smoothly

  • Unlimited Consultations via email, phone, or in person


While planning packages offer many essential services, there are countless other tasks that your planner can do to ensure a stress-free and enjoyable experience for you and your loved ones. Some of these unknown services are


  1. Sews back the groomsmen’s broken bowtie or broken bridesmaids dress

  2. Carries your lipstick in our pocket so you have it when you need it

  3. Makes sure you get appetizers, dinner, and your favorite beverage in hand all night

  4. Magically gets all your personal items packed up and where they need to go post-event

  5. Calls 911 discreetly when one of your guests has a medical emergency

  6. Stops drunk guests or unplanned guests from getting on the mic to give a toast or speech

  7. Handles all big family/friend personalities and gives them jobs if you need space from them

  8. Stays behind after the ceremony to help call out all your extended family to ensure they are around for pictures

Ultimately, a wedding planner is an essential investment that brings expertise, experience, and peace of mind to your special day.  Trust your planner and know that they have your best interests at heart.



Ready for more?

  • Follow us @meganmahoneycreative for new blog announcements and more helpful information about your wedding planning journey

  • Realizing a planner sounds good right about now? We’d love to chat and answer any questions you might have about hiring a planner. 


Photo Credits:

@cstellproductions

@lionladyphoto

@jennylosee_




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